The document summarizes Seton Hall University's use of electronic portfolios in their freshman studies program. It describes how eportfolios were initially implemented, lessons learned, and improvements made over time. A survey showed students' understanding and satisfaction increased each year. The portfolio allows insight into students and identifying those at risk. The authors propose using rubrics to score portfolios and analyze relationships to other data to determine if portfolios can predict early attrition and inform support.

1. Redefining Electronic Portfolios: A View into the First Year Experience Tracy Gottlieb Ph.D., Dean of Freshman Studies Paul Fisher, Director TLT Center Danielle Mirliss, Associate Director TLT Center

2. Seton Hall University A mid-sized, private, catholic affiliated university in central New Jersey Main Campus in South Orange, NJ Law School in Newark Over 40 off-campus sites 10,000 Students 4,400 Full Time Undergraduates (50% residential) Laptop Program for all Undergrads and Faculty Blackboard Course Management System Universally adopted

3. University Strategic Vision “ Comprehensive outcomes assessment in the form of “value added” to the student learning experience will be a cornerstone of our undergraduate strategic plan.” “ Strengthen the on-going program for the assessment of student learning.”

4. Why ePortfolio University must have clear institutional and program level goals for student learning University must have assessment results showing evidence that students are achieving institutional and program goals University must use the assessment results to inform institutional planning and program improvement

5. Current Electronic Portfolios Initiatives at SHU Curriculum Development Initiative (CDI): Electronic Portfolio 4 Branches of Project: College of Education and Human Services Core Curriculum English Department Freshman Studies

6. College of Education and Human Services – NCATE Influenced – Performance Evidence Demonstrate & Motivate Student Learning Reflection of the Student as a Teacher Development of Student Professional Portfolios

7. ePortfolio in the English Department First Year Writing English Majors Teaching Portfolio

8. New University Core Curriculum Creation of a Common Experience University Life, Signature Courses (I, II, III)

9. Explicit proficiency development infused into at least (50%) of student’s courses Systematic reinforced development Universal Proficiencies Numeracy Oral Comm. Writing Information fluency Critical thinking Core skills

10. Electronic Portfolios and the Core Curriculum Evidence of Learning Mapping courses completed Structured repository of objects produced (attesting to) Reflection of Learning Framed reflections on learning growth

11. Freshman Studies “ Strives to provide a common experience for Freshmen enrolled in the University Life course”

12. Historically has recognized the benefits of educational technology 2004 received a Curriculum Development Initiative grant (internally funded) to redesign University Life Course

13. Fall 2005 ePortfolio Requirements Required: Welcome Message Career Goals Activities Ethics Computer Skills Volunteerism Intellectualism Multiculturalism My Thoughts Choice of 3: Inspirational Websites Photo Album Blog Resume Work From Other Courses Art Work, Music or Multimedia of Own Creation

15. Lessons Learned: First Year Implementation Students did not see the connection with what was perceived as an onerous task and the goal Support came from tech people instead of mentors and peer advisors Portfolio was due at the end – students scrambled at the end to complete it Students wanted to customize their pages; difficult to do in Bb environment

16. Fall 2005 Survey Reponses Percentage Very Satisfied and Satisfied I understand the concept of and importance of ePortfolio as it was presented in class 52 % The ePortfolio lesson was clearly presented in class 60.8 % The system used to create the ePortfolio was easy to use 46.6 % My mentor and/or peer advisor was able to answer basic technical questions regarding ePortfolio 77.1 %

17. Second Year Implementation Emphasized the use ePortfolio as an opportunity to evaluate first semester through reflection As we explained it better it was a task worth doing Technical support came from mentors and peer advisors Checkpoint Assignments due throughout semester

18. Fall 2006 ePortfolio Requirements Required Welcome Message Community Service CREW Career Goals Activities Academics About Me My Thoughts Choice of 2 Reflection on Ethics Reflection on Computer Skills Photo Album Blog/MySpace Resume Art Work, Music or Multimedia of Own Creation

19. Fall 2006 Survey Reponses Percentage Very Satisfied and Satisfied I understand the concept of and importance of ePortfolio as it was presented in class 66.7 % The ePortfolio lesson was clearly presented in class 79.2 % The system used to create the ePortfolio was easy to use 68 % My mentor and/or peer advisor was able to answer basic technical questions regarding ePortfolio 89.4 %

20. Student Comments “ Doing an ePortfolio was productive in that I was really able to reflect on my first semester of college. ” “ Learning how to make an eportfolio was most helpful, because I was able to use this knowledge in other classes.” “ The e-portfolio was the most valuable because I learned how to present information in a professional manner that was different from a paper resume.” “ I found the ePortfolio to be the most valuable thing that I did in this course, because it help me realize a lot of things about myself.”

21. Fall 2007 Requirements Welcome Message Personal Mission Statement International Week Activities Compass Academics Career Goals Community Service Paradigm Shift My Thoughts Creative Item Reflect on Ethics Reflect on Habit Photo Album Art Work, Music or Multimedia that YOU created

22. Fall 2007 – Covey Framework The 8 Habits Be Proactive Begin With the End In Mind Put First Things First ---------------------------------------------------------DEPENDENCE------  Think Win-Win Seek First to Understand then To be Understood Synergize --------------------------------------------------------INDEPENDENCE-  7. Sharpen the Saw From Effectiveness to Greatness -------------------------------------------------------INTERDEPENDENCE-- 

23. Students Embrace Covey Language I discovered (although I think I already knew) that I have always been a great student in high school, and I can certainly be a great student in college. However, in order to do that I am going to need to be a much more responsible student. I think that this e-Portfolio is a reflection of me as an individual because is shows so many of the things I have gone through and the ways in which I feel I have changed. From learning to be more proactive and discovering I'm not as good at writing papers as I thought I was, to experiencing new and different things throughout the semester, this e-Portfolio documents the things that have happened to me and the ways in which I have grown.

24. Fall 2007 Survey Reponses Percentage Very Satisfied and Satisfied I understand the concept of and importance of ePortfolio as it was presented in class 76.2% The ePortfolio lesson was clearly presented in class 87% The system used to create the ePortfolio was easy to use 75.4% My mentor and/or peer advisor was able to answer basic technical questions regarding ePortfolio 92% The ePortfolio enabled me to reflect on my growth as a college student during my first semester at SHU 76.4% 76.4%

25. What activities and experiences did you find most valuable in this course? I felt that having to make the ePortfolio was valuable because it made you reflect back to the summer before the semester started and early on in the semester. Reflecting back that far, made me realize that my thinking back than was totally different than it is now . More or less the e portfolio seemed to be the most important because it branched off into several different directions teaching me new things with each page I think the eportfolio was the best assignment because we got to create something about ourselves . I found the e-portfolio was valuable because I learned more about myself and what was important to me . I really enjoyed making the e portfolio it helped me realize who i am as a person and what i want to be as a person I found the ePortfolio the most important aspect of the class because it allowed me to understand the process of becoming a college student .

26. What they did not like ePortfolio was time consuming More integration with class discussion Wanted class time to complete ePortfolio Wanted fewer assignments in the ePortfolio Easier system to use More flexible due dates

27. How Far We’ve Come… Percentage Very Satisfied and Satisfied 2005 2006 2007 I understand the concept of and importance of ePortfolio as it was presented in class 52% 66.7% 76.2% The ePortfolio lesson was clearly presented in class 60.8% 79.2% 87% The system used to create the ePortfolio was easy to use 46.6% 68% 75.4% My mentor and/or peer advisor was able to answer basic technical questions regarding ePortfolio 77.1% 89.4% 92%

28. Allowed us to gain insight into the student We can reach out to students who need help Connection between mentor and students

29. National Coalition for Electronic Portfolio Research Across the country and around the world, at institutions of all kinds, students are creating electronic portfolios—portfolios for personal planning, freshman learning communities, general education, the major, advising, graduation, and on and on. Although these individual research efforts point us in the right direction, they have not enabled us to ask systematically and from one campus to the next, “What learning is taking place as a function of digital portfolios? How do we know?” This Coalition brings together faculty from ten campuses per year in successive cohorts. Ten institutions in a cohort each design a campus-based research agenda, enact it, and report out results.

30. Research Question… What is the role of the electronic portfolio in predicting whether students are at risk for early attrition?

31. Missing Pieces to the Puzzle Can the portfolio give us the answers to: Goal clarity (academic and career goals) Perceived support from friends and family (Sandler, Nora, Cabrera) Quality of Effort Academic Engagement – parallel to NSSE (social integration – Pascarella & Terenzini, Tinto)

32. Fall 2006 ePortfolio Activities: Have you been proactive by becoming involved on campus? What activities have you been involved in, on or off campus, that have enhanced your first year of college? Describe in 200 words or more and include images and web resources where appropriate. Career Goals: Where do you see yourself after graduation? If you are unsure, then this section should explore career paths that are interesting to you, and how you are going about exploring these differing areas. How are you “Beginning with the End in Mind” in order to prepare for a future career? How did the Career Development Month program that you attended in November help you in considering you career path? Describe in 200 words or more and include images and web resources where appropriate.

33. Methodology There are three groups of students that have been identified for inclusion in this study: Group 1: Summer Scholars (at risk students who participate in bridge program) Group 2: Students identified by admissions department as at risk Group 3: Normative Sample 4 rubrics have been created to score portfolios

34. Creation of Rubrics Example Goal Clarity Rubric - (Academic and Career Goals) 4 – Mature focus of academic and career goals, enterprising and realistic 3 – Clear expression of academic and career goals 2 – Elements of career exploration, some sense of career goals or academic goals 1 – Lack of focus or clarity of purpose expressed about college (academic and/or career goals), goal uncertainty

35. Analysis of Data Scoring of portfolios took place in January 2008 What relationships are there between the scores? Combine with Institutional Data (regression analysis – can we explain any variance) Also relate it to NSSE Look at the low scores and see if there are “persisters”

36. Thank you! Any Questions? Tracy Gottlieb – [email_address] Paul Fisher – [email_address] Danielle Mirliss – [email_address]